Barrel-locking device for guns.



W. 0. BARNES.

BARREL LOCKING DEVICE FOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5. I914.

1,137,045. Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

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Amy's WILLIAM o. BARNES, 0F LEoMINsTEE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR To MARY E. JOHNSON, TRUSTEE, or FITCHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS.

BARREL-LOCKING DEVICE FOR GUNS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

Application filed September 5, 1914. Serial N 0. 860,387.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM O. BARNES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leominster, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Barrel-Locking Devices for Guns, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the draw ing representing like parts.

This invention relates to barrel locking devices for guns and is particularly concerned with the top snap lever mechanism.

The object of the invention is to provide a construction in which lost motion will be eliminated, in which the top lever will be held permanently against vertical movement, and in which the top lever will be returned accurately to a definite normal position after being swung aside to unlock the breech.

The objects of the invention will more fully appear from the accompanying description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

The drawings represent the breech block and connected parts of a double barrel shot gun embodying the preferred form of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in vertical cross-section of the breech block of the gun and connected parts; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the top lever and locking bolt with the spindle of the lever shown in horizontal cross-section; Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a portion of the breech block and spindle of the top lever taken axially of the spring pressed plunger with the plunger and spring shown in plan; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the central portion of the spindle in the position shown in Fig. 3 with the plunger represented in dotted lines; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in position when the top lever is swung aside; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 5.

While the invention is not restricted to a particular kind of firearm, it is particularly adapted to breech loading shot guns, and is shown herein embodied in a construction for a double barrel breech loading shot gun.

The main parts of the mechanism with the exception of those particularly involving the invention are all well known and ifanloiliar and need not be described in de- The breech block 1 is of the usual construction and is provided with the tang or top plate 2 extending rearWardly therefrom, while at the bottom the trigger plate 3 is interlocked therewith and Secured thereto by the set screw 4:. The trigger plate and the tang are connected together by screw studs 5 and 6 and the whole mechanism when assembled is inserted in the gun stock and secured thereto in the usual manner. The gun barrel is pivoted to the breech block at 7 and is locked in position relatively to the breech block by the usual locking bolt 8, the movement of which is controlled by the top snap lever 9. It is very desirable that this top lever 9 shall be free from lost motion either longitudinally of its pivotal axis or angularly with respect thereto, and it is also desirable that it shall be maintained accurately in its vertical position, and also returned after being swung aside accurately to its normal position which is usually in line with the center of the tang 2, and consequently of the gun Stock. The present invention presents a form of construction by which these results are secured in a very simple and eflicient manner and with a minimum amount of friction.

The terms vertical, horizontal, etc., which will be used in describing the relative position of the parts are to be taken as relative terms, and are used simply for convenience, as it will be obvious that the relation of the parts with respect to the horizon is inconsequential.

The top lever 9 is provided with a vertical spindle 10 mounted for rotation in the breech block. In order that the lever may have a steady movement and be prevented from tipping vertically, it is important that the top spindle shall have widely separated bearings, and this is herein secured by providing a bearing near each end of the spindle. As shown in the drawings the spindle 10 has a bearing at 11 in the breech block and tang near its upper end, while at its lower end it has a bearing 12 in the trigger plate which is rigidly secured to the breech block. The top lever is preferably made integral with the spindle so that there can be no lost motion between the top lever and the spindle.

Any suitable connection may be made beper surface of the plunger.

tween the top lever 9 and the locking bolt 8 to secure the actuation of the latter. As herein shown the head of the top lever is generally cylindrical and is provided with the depending flange 13 cut away at one side to allow the passage of the locking bolt 8, which at its inner end is forked and en gages the spindle 10. At one side the looking bolt is provided with a projection 14.

which engages a recess in the flange 13. Hence, when the top lever is swung to one side or toward the right hand side of the gun as illustrated the recess in its flange 13 engaging the spindle 14 will cause a retracting movement of the locking bolt. When the top lever returns to normal position as it does under the influence of a spring the same connection between the lever and the locking bolt restores the latter to projected or looking position.

The spindle about midway of its bearings is formed with a lateral recess, the upper surface 15 of which is horizontal and the lower surface 16 of which is beveled downwardly and outwardly, while the rear wall 17 of the recess is vertical thus leaving the rear edges 18 of the recess also vertical. A spring pressed plunger is mounted in a horizontal earingin the breech block directly opposite this recess in the spindle. This plunger 19 is cylindrical, fits snugly in its horizontal cylindrical bearing 20 and is bored out longitudinally from the rear to receive one end of'the helical spring 21which seating against the end of the bearing 20 normally acts to project the plunger. 7 The plunger at its outward end has its nose beveledcorrespondingly to the bevel 16 of the spindle. The longitudinal axis 22 of the plunger passes a little to one side of the vertical axis of the spindle and to that side toward which the top lever'is swungto'unlock the gun. This relative position of the axes will be readily seen from Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive. The nose of the plunger fits snugly in the recess in the spindle, the upper surface of the nose contacting with the upper surface of the recess and two beveled surfaces contacting with each other. When the parts are in normal or locking position the end of the nose does not quite reach the rear wall of the recess. A slightclearance is left at 24 between the flange 13 and the breech block and also at 25 between the bottom of the spindle and the tang. V The top lever and its spindle is thus entirely sup.

ported asto its vertical and angular position by the spring pressed plunger. The beveled surface of the plunger contacting with that of the recess wedges or forces the spindle downwardly maintaining the upper surfaces of the recess therein in contact with the uppressure forcing the two beveled surfaces together maintains the spindle and its 0011- The spring In this position parts are firmly held against any movement, in a definite vertical position,and in a definite angular position.

When the top lever is swung aside, toward the right in the construction shown, to withdraw the locking bolt the beveled surface of the recess acting against the beveled surface of the plunger pushes the plunger back and causes a rotary movement of the plunger on its own axis, and as the lever continues its swinging movement the vertical edge 18 of the recess contacting with the end of the nose of the plunger pushes the plunger still farther back. But during this entire movement the two beveled surfaces are in contact at some point thus holding the spindle in its vertical position with the top surface of the plunger and recess in engagement. When the top lever is released the reverse movement of the parts takes place and the position while at the same time holding the top surface of the recess and the top surface of the plunger in engagement and thus maintaining the vertical position of the parts. 7

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is: r

1. In a breech loading firearm the combi-- nation of a breech block, a top snap lever, a spindle for said lever rigid therewith and projecting downwardly therefrom and provided with a lateral recess, a bearing in said breech block for said spindle at or near-each end thereof, a spring pressed plunger-mounted in said breech block and having its nose in cooperative engagementwith the lower surface and with the rear wall of said recess and acting to press downwardly on said lower surface at all times thus to maintain the lever always in a definite position verticallyand also acting to return said lever when swung aside to a definite angular position while at all times preventing lost motion.

2. In a breech, loading firearm the combination of a breech block, a top snap lever, a spindle for said lever rigid therewith and projecting downwardly therefrom and provided with a lateral recess havinga horizonv horizontally in said breech block having its nose correspondingly beveled to the bevel of the recess, and having its longitudinal axis passing to the same side of the spindle axis as that to which the top lever swings,where- V H. H. TALBOT.

AUTOMATIC SELF LOADING PISTOL. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1914.

1. 13?; Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

WITNESSES; i INVENTOR a M BY 7 V m I I ATTORNEY 

